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Nomination accepted

Michael Gravelle says he's stronger than ever. The 18-year Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP accepted the Liberal nomination for the sixth time Tuesday night, surrounded by family, friends and supporters.
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Michael Gravelle thanks supporters at his nomination meeting Tuesday. (Jamie Smith, tbnewswatch.com)

Michael Gravelle says he's stronger than ever.

The 18-year Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP accepted the Liberal nomination for the sixth time Tuesday night, surrounded by family, friends and supporters. His uncontested nomination was seconded by Premier Kathleen Wynne, which Gravelle called one of the highlights of his political career.

"I may be more excited than the first time I was nominated," Gravelle said after a speech he gave to the near-capacity Italian Cultural Centre. 

The Minister of Northern Development and Mines recently finished a nine-month battle with lymphoma. It was during treatment that he realized how much he loved his job and how much he wanted to continue.

"I've got the energy to do it," he said.

Gravelle reminded the room how much the Liberals have done for Northwestern Ontario from the new law school to four-laning the highway from Thunder Bay to Nipigon. It's clear that the region is a priority for Wynne and the Liberal minority government he said. And with the proposed mining opportunities in the Ring of Fire along with a resurgence in the forestry sector, the region is going to be an economic engine for the province in the future. It's part of the reason Wynne has been reaching out to Northwestern Ontario.

"In a remarkable way," he said of Wynne's visit to the region this week.

Wynne said she plans to govern this fall and wants to work with all parties but with a minority situation an election is always a possibility.

"We have to be ready at any time," she said.

And with candidates like Gravelle, the party is in good hands should it come to an election.

"The way Michael does politics is exactly the way we want to do politics across the province," Wynne said.

Gravelle will take on NDP candidate and Current River councillor Andrew Foulds and the Progressive Conservative's Tamara Johnson.

He said he has great respect for anyone willing to get involved and looks forward to a civil campaign.





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